The exhibition aims to instigate meaningful interaction and dialogue with the public around perceptions of mental health.

The planning, design and curation of the programme was led by 30 NAGAS and NTAS artists, working with Baltic Artist Lesley Rose in a series of seven workshops. The result is an exhibition of the artists’ work, exploring ideas, perceptions and conversations around mental health.

bARTer opens on Monday 8 September 2014 at BALTIC Centre for Contemporary Art, Gateshead, NE8 3BA and runs until Sunday 19 October 2014.

NAGASprovides an innovative range of creative services directed at improving and enhancing the quality of life, health and social integration of its members.

NTASis an award-winning organisation based in North Shields that has been using art and creative activities as a mechanism to transform the lives of people experiencing mental health problems since 1991.

Launchpad works to redress the balance, and offers the chance for anyone who uses mental health services in Newcastle to have their voice heard by the people who run these services.

The bARTer project is funded by Time to Change, England’s biggest programme to end the stigma and discrimination faced by people with mental health problems. The programme is run by the charities Mind and Rethink Mental Illness, and funded by the Department of Health, Comic Relief and the Big Lottery Fund.